Mariah Carey, 56, Health Fears Erupt: Iconic Singer 'Struggles to Walk' and 'Seems Off' During 2025 MTV VMAs Performance — 'Is She Seriously Okay?'
Mariah Carey's VMAs performance was so low energy that fans worried about her health.
Sept. 7 2025, Published 10:06 p.m. ET
Mariah Carey caused major concern among viewers when she appeared stiff and seemed to have trouble walking at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The singer, 56, performed a medley of her hits at the VMAs before being presented with the prestigious Video Vanguard Award.
Carey stood still most of the time, and when she did walk across the stage, the songbird appeared unsteady on her feet. However, her voice was as powerful as ever.
Worried Fans
Carey has never been a dancer, but even her walking looked awkwards.
A chorus of concern quickly erupted on X during Carey's performance at the Sunday, September 7, ceremony.
"Mariah Carey is looking like it’s super painful for her to walk and move??? Is she okay?" one person wondered, while another asked, "Mariah Carey okay? She seems a little off."
"Why doesn’t Mariah Carey’s body move when she performs?" a third person noted, while a fourth sighed, "My girl doesn’t even try anymore, and I’m okay with that. She is the Mariah Carey."
'What Were You Waiting For?'
Carey had never won a VMA until she was given the Video Vanguard Award.
After Carey's medley, her super fan, Ariana Grande, presented the Dreamlover songstress with her first-ever Moon Man trophy.
"I can't believe I'm getting my first VMA tonight, and I just have one question. What in the sam hell were you waiting for?" she proclaimed while calling out MTV.
Carey rocketed to stardom in 1990 with her debut hit Vision of Love. She has had a stellar 35-year career since then, filled with plenty of ups and downs.
Bipolar Diagnosis
Carey was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2001.
After suffering a much-publicized breakdown in 2001, Carey was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She kept the news a secret until a 2018 interview, where Carey confessed, “I didn’t want to believe it."
“Until recently, I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me,” she shared. “It was too heavy a burden to carry, and I simply couldn’t do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me, and I got back to doing what I love — writing songs and making music," Carey revealed.
The songbird said at the time that she was in therapy and taking medication for bipolar II disorder.
“I’m just in a really good place right now, where I’m comfortable discussing my struggles with bipolar II disorder. I’m hopeful we can get to a place where the stigma is lifted from people going through anything alone," Carey noted. "It can be incredibly isolating. It does not have to define you, and I refuse to allow it to define me or control me.”
Mobility Concerns
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Fans have noticed Carey's mobility while performing has seemed to diminish in recent years.
Fans began to fear that Carey was suffering from physical health issues after noticing she seemed to have mobility issues in shows throughout 2025.
In a March Reddit thread, a user claimed they heard the Queen of Christmas was suffering from fibromyalgia and arthritis.
The former is a long-term condition that causes widespread muscle pain throughout the body, as well as fatigue.
While Carey has never addressed the issue, users thought something was definitely going on with her health.
"We don't know exactly what it is, but the underlying feeling is this is not like her, especially in recent years. She doesn't have a bad attitude, and she's not an ungrateful kind of person, so something is off, and I'm worried," one fan commented.
"I mean, honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised. Stuff happens as you age. I also wonder often if she has psychomotor impairment, which is an effect of bipolar stuff," a second fan wrote.
"Anyone with eyes can see there’s something wrong physically; she’s stiff as hell and can barely move, as opposed to how she used to run around on stage. And don’t give me she’s 55, that is NOT old. As to what’s wrong, that’s just speculation; none of us knows," a third fan lamented.
